Ray W. 21 minutes leads team with 7 boards

[Walter Sobchak]

I honestly am growing a little weary of Coach blasting players in the media. As bad as Willis was today, Coach is the one that saw enough talent in him to offer him a scholarship. Also, it is the coach's job to get these guys ready to play. He needs to hold himself accountable for misjudging talent and/or not getting them ready to play. I'm not saying he doesn't, because I have no way of knowing, but when you consistently rip your players in the media it's almost like you're sending the message that they bear all of the blame and you bear none.

I agree. Keep it out of the papers. JC needs to take some responsibility and quit placing all the blame on the players. After all, it is his job to get his players to play hard.

 

[NickZepp]

I think Capel has just run out of ideas for this years team. Nothing he's doing in practice is working nothing he does in the media works either.

 

[Seymore Cox]

Called him incredibly weak. Mentioned going down the court and airballing 15 footers. Weak mentally and physically. Couldn't guard Page and let him get into a rhythm. It was pretty brutal.

I saw him on Page and thought that it was a good matchup for us. And in actuality it should have been. I was sitting their with a couple of my players and we were talking about any player letting Keiton Page blow by them shouldn't be on the floor. I've watched Keiton Page play for 8plus years and would never imagine him to blow buy guys like he did yesterday. Incredibly sad. I've got guys I work with that could do alot better than Willis did yesterday on both sides of the court. That being said, he wasn't the worst defensively. TMG holds that honor.

 

[SoonerfanTU]

Ultimately, the coach can only do so much. A large portion of the burden lies with the players to improve themselves by working hard in the weight room, on their game in the offseason, etc

Coaches get way too much credit all the time IMO

Maybe. But when you have an entire team of players, that aside from TMG to some degree, aren't really getting any better, who else are you going to blame?

 

[DenverSooner]

Called him incredibly weak. Mentioned going down the court and airballing 15 footers. Weak mentally and physically. Couldn't guard Page and let him get into a rhythm. It was pretty brutal.

Then why did he play him for 21 minutes? Put in Pledger (oh wait Stephen is slow) so put in the other guards (of wait Neysmith and Maze transferred).

Ray needs to learn to play defense but blaming this loss on Ray Willis is ridiculous. Play the guy against Sienna (or whoever) to learn. Rip his @$$ when he doesn't play defense against a bad team. Don't publicly challenge him 3/4 of the way through the season.

Cade Davis put up an air ball or two in the game. Honestly, why is Ray Willis the only player that gets called out publicly for poor shot selection. Poor shot selection is an epidemic on this Capel coached team.

 

[IntenseDefense]

Maybe. But when you have an entire team of players, that aside from TMG to some degree, aren't really getting any better, who else are you going to blame?

You don't think that Tony Crocker has "gotten better" or Cade Davis has "gotten better"?

What?

Seriously?

 

[Seymore Cox]

Then why did he play him for 21 minutes? Put in Pledger (oh wait Stephen is slow) so put in the other guards (of wait Neysmith and Maze transferred).

Ray needs to learn to play defense but blaming this loss on Ray Willis is ridiculous. Play the guy against Sienna (or whoever) to learn. Rip his @$$ when he doesn't play defense against a bad team. Don't publicly challenge him 3/4 of the way through the season.

Cade Davis put up an air ball or two in the game. Honestly, why is Ray Willis the only player that gets called out publicly for poor shot selection. Poor shot selection is an epidemic on this Capel coached team.

Ray is probably getting called out because he's screwing up somewhere else like maybe in practice. Every minute Ray has gotten this year has been because of other players. Ray has had alot of opportunities and hasn't fully taken advantage of them like Cade.

 

[OkieTC]

I don't really see next year being much better. TMG and Cade Davis are the only returning players that are Big12 ready. With some hard work in the off season, Fitz could make some big strides, And Pledge has at times looked decent. I think WW will be gone, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Tiny gone too. Big O looks lost when he gets on the court and Hardrick can't even get on the court! I haven't given up on Willis, but he's not playing at a Big12 level now, thats for sure. We really need to pick up some high level JUCO players, especially some big men! If Tiny doesn't return, and return with a better attitude, we only have 2 proven Big12 quality players on the roster.

 

[DenverSooner]

I don't really see next year being much better. TMG and Cade Davis are the only returning players that are Big12 ready. With some hard work in the off season, Fitz could make some big strides, And Pledge has at times looked decent. I think WW will be gone, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Tiny gone too. Big O looks lost when he gets on the court and Hardrick can't even get on the court! I haven't given up on Willis, but he's not playing at a Big12 level now, thats for sure. We really need to pick up some high level JUCO players, especially some big men! If Tiny doesn't return, and return with a better attitude, we only have 2 proven 12 quality players on the roster.

I think you are wrong. Pledger, Fitzgerald, Gallon, Davis and Mason Griffin are all going to be Big XII ready. They have gotten good experience and will be substantially improved players. Pledger and Fitzgerald must improve there speed/lateral quickness but I think they will do that.

If Cam and TJ are capable of giving minutes OU will have a very solid back court rotation with a great starter in Cade Davis and a first team all Big XII guy in Mason Griffin. Pledger just needs to either start or come off the bench and knock down shots. Hopefully either Cam or TJ will be able to create.

OU desperately needs a post player or two. Gallon will be good and Fitzgerald will be a solid reserve but OU needs a third guy that can rebound, defend and get some easy points. Gallon is still going to struggle with foul trouble next year.

With respect to those that want Wilis and Allen to leave, I personally don't. They know how to practice and that adds some value to the team. Allen is gone next year anyway and Ray only has two years left. If Hardrick leaves so be it.

 

[IntenseDefense]

Gallon will be good and Fitzgerald will be a solid reserve but OU needs a third guy that can rebound, defend and get some easy points. Gallon is still going to struggle with foul trouble next year.

Has there been any word on whether or not Gallon's recent suspension could keep him from playing for OU next season?

 

[Seymore Cox]

I don't really see next year being much better. TMG and Cade Davis are the only returning players that are Big12 ready. With some hard work in the off season, Fitz could make some big strides, And Pledge has at times looked decent. I think WW will be gone, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Tiny gone too. Big O looks lost when he gets on the court and Hardrick can't even get on the court! I haven't given up on Willis, but he's not playing at a Big12 level now, thats for sure. We really need to pick up some high level JUCO players, especially some big men! If Tiny doesn't return, and return with a better attitude, we only have 2 proven Big12 quality players on the roster.

We just got to get players that can execute. We keep evaluating each player on an individual basis, and to an extent we should. I don't care if a guy can come in and get twenty. I just want a guy that's going to be on the court and not make huge errors which cost us the game. When you shoot 31 three pointers out of 60 total shot attempts, that's not basketball. Those are empty turnovers. We've got to abandon that philosophy quick. Capel has to get these guys to be able to stay infront of other guards and our post to be able to step up on the drive. Those are execution issues and we need players that can execute those basic things.

 

[Sooner79]

A big part of our problems in this game is that Cade and Tony both did not get the boards they've been getting in most of our previous games. We've relied so much on these two to help in that area that when neither was able to get it done in this game it ended up killing us. And, it's not like they weren't in position. I noticed many times they had blocked out but because the shot was from long distance it bounced outside and a peripheral player (unfortunately one of theirs) ended up getting the board.

Another problem was Pilgrim. We just didn't seem to have any answer for that guy.

 

[StatGeek]

Then why did he play him for 21 minutes? Put in Pledger (oh wait Stephen is slow) so put in the other guards (of wait Neysmith and Maze transferred).

Ray needs to learn to play defense but blaming this loss on Ray Willis is ridiculous. Play the guy against Sienna (or whoever) to learn. Rip his @$$ when he doesn't play defense against a bad team. Don't publicly challenge him 3/4 of the way through the season.

Cade Davis put up an air ball or two in the game. Honestly, why is Ray Willis the only player that gets called out publicly for poor shot selection. Poor shot selection is an epidemic on this Capel coached team.

perhaps Capel has done everything he knows to do behind closed doors and feels public comments may get through to him?

Didn't see anything where coach "blamed" Ray for the loss. Try to temper your disdain and maybe a little more objective.

 

[Tony]

Try to temper your disdain and maybe a little more objective.

Just because someone reaches a different conclusion than us does not mean they are not being as objective as possible.

In any event, this is pretty much the last place you want to be if you are looking for objective analysis.

 

[buttermaker1]

Then why did he play him for 21 minutes? Put in Pledger (oh wait Stephen is slow) so put in the other guards (of wait Neysmith and Maze transferred).

Ray needs to learn to play defense but blaming this loss on Ray Willis is ridiculous. Play the guy against Sienna (or whoever) to learn. Rip his @$$ when he doesn't play defense against a bad team. Don't publicly challenge him 3/4 of the way through the season.

Cade Davis put up an air ball or two in the game. Honestly, why is Ray Willis the only player that gets called out publicly for poor shot selection. Poor shot selection is an epidemic on this Capel coached team.

Very true, I have lost respect for Capel calling out a kid that played 101 minutes prior to this game. A kid that hasn't been given any opportunity to learn and grow during games. He can't be the worst he did lead the team in bounds while playing 21 minutes. Where was our starting center or Fitz? These guys can't lead the team in boards?

Ray should transfer I certainly hope he does, he doesn't deserve to by called out like this. If he actually played as mucgh as Pledger or Fitz I would be okay with it.

I don't see Capel dogging WW for lazy arse transition or help D.

 

[buttermaker1]

Capel never called out WW for lazy D

So let me ge this straight. Capel calls out Ray Willis for sucking after he had a team high 7 bounds in 21 minutes, a kid that played maybe 101 minutes this year and has never called out WW for lazy arse transition or help D? He acts like Ray is the only reason OSU beat us like a rented Mule.

I have lost respect for Capel that was weak calling out a kid that only plays if others can't play. I don't respected coaches that call out kids in the media even worse kids that get very few opportunities.

 

[luckyc1423]

Re: Capel never called out WW for lazy D

Maybe he is trying to run willis off? Or maybe he just wants to keep willie happy for future recruits?

 

[thebigabd]

Re: Capel never called out WW for lazy D

Capel babies Willie because he has to.

There were some games when Willie wasn't even getting back on defense and still played almost the entire game.

 

[StatGeek]

Just because someone reaches a different conclusion than us does not mean they are not being as objective as possible.

In any event, this is pretty much the last place you want to be if you are looking for objective analysis.

Different conclusion? How can anyone come to a conclusion? Not enough information if you ask me, pure projection/speculation if you or anyone has reached a conclusion on this topic. People making conclusions with 50% of the information is the problem, and my point.

 

[Tony]

Different conclusion? How can anyone come to a conclusion? Not enough information if you ask me, pure projection/speculation if you or anyone has reached a conclusion on this topic. People making conclusions with 50% of the information is the problem, and my point.

Your objection is to people speculating without knowing all the information? More power to you, I say, but you've got an uphill battle if that's the fight you're going to make on this board.